Giovanni Minicucci

About Giovanni Minicucci

Giovanni was born and raised in Italy and is a dedicated language educator with extensive experience teaching Italian and Spanish at various levels. His teaching emphasizes communication, cultural immersion, and student engagement. He specializes in teaching Italian to speakers of other Romance languages and strongly values multilingual backgrounds; students who speak additional foreign languages are warmly encouraged to bring their linguistic knowledge into the classroom. Giovanni believes that language learning goes beyond grammar: it is fundamentally about connecting with people and cultures. His approach fosters confidence in speaking and comprehension through real-world practice.During the summer, Giovanni teaches at the Scuola Italiana of Middlebury College’s Language Schools, where he also helps organize cultural events. He is the Founder and Co-Director of WorldLangAmerica, a non-profit organization that connects high school and university students across the U.S, Canada, Italy, France, and Germany through meaningful language exchanges.Giovanni is currently a Lecturer of Spanish and Italian at North Park University and the College of DuPage, and he also teaches Spanish at the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago. In addition to his teaching, he is pursuing a Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures at the University of Chicago, where his research focuses on travel narratives, colonial Pacific literature, and translation studies. He holds a Master’s degree in Spanish Language, Literature, and Culture from Syracuse University and a Master’s degree in Italian Studies from Middlebury College. His research examines how language and cultural mediation shape colonial encounters, and he has presented his work at numerous international conferences. Giovanni has been recognized for his teaching excellence and contributions to language education. His goal is to continue expanding opportunities for language learners worldwide.Motto: Practice makes perfect!

Experience

1. Spanish Instructor

   Instituto Cervantes

   Mar 2025 — Present · Chicago, IL, US

   I teach Spanish at all levels at the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago, the official institution for the promotion of the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures, supported by the Government of Spain.My role includes guiding students in both language acquisition and cultural understanding, while fostering a dynamic and immersive environment that highlights the richness and diversity of the Spanish-speaking world.

Education

• Nazareth University

  B.A. Exchange Program (English and Spanish Studies), Foreign Languages and Literatures

• Niagara College

  Certificate, English Studies

• École Pratique des Hautes Études

  Arabic Codicology. The Islamic Manuscript Heritage in The Escorial Collection, Codicology

• Università degli Studi 'Gabriele d'Annunzio'​ di Chieti

  Master's degree, Foreign Languages and Literatures, General

  2020 — 2022

• Syracuse University

  Master of Arts - MA, Spanish Language, Literature and Culture

• Università degli Studi 'Gabriele d'Annunzio'​ di Chieti

  Bachelor of Arts - B.A., Linguistic Mediation and Intercultural Communication

  2017 — 2020

• Occidental College

  Certificate of Attendance, English Language and Literature/Letters

  2015 — 2015

• St. John's University

  Summer School, English Language and Literature/Letters

  2013 — 2013

• Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Bayamon

  Seminar, La literatura secreta de los últimos musulmanes de España

• Middlebury Language Schools

  Master of Arts - MA, Italian Studies

• University of Chicago

  Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Romance Languages & Literatures

• St. Thomas University

  Summer School, English Language and Literature/Letters

  2014 — 2014